When a user wishes to transmit large amounts of video data (e.g., in real time) to a number of viewers, there are multiple imperfect solutions that are available. For example, the user may implement a physical switching matrix to act as a dedicated central hub to distribute video data. In such a system, sources of video data in the network are connected to the network via a direct physical connector using a technology such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). The physical switching matrix then splits the source video to one or more desired locations for review. However, the expense of such physical cabling and switching hardware may be prohibitive.
For example, hardware capture is limited by the capacity of the physical switching matrix, and in most cases there is a limit of four inputs and four outputs. Highly specialized hardware can implement more input/output ports, but the costs increases exponentially as more ports are added, quickly becoming prohibitive. Furthermore, long video cables may degrade the quality of a video signal, making it functionally impossible to provide video data to remote locations.
An alternate solution is to route video data over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. However, such a solution may fail to provide multiplatform support or real time desktop capture for sharing with others. Thus, users continue to seek out new video streaming/provisioning solutions.